The restoration industry is poised for continued growth this year; quality contractors’ phones will be ringing off the hook. Increased weather related damage, an aging inventory of residential and commercial properties, and better insurance coverages continue to create opportunities. Well positioned small, medium and larger companies have ample opportunities to find their niche in the restoration world.
As a restoration company, you may also face many challenges in the next year including material price increases, continuing supply-chain disruptions, and inflation. But the most difficult to tackle right now is labor.
Implementing a Restoration Company CRM
Lots Of Movement
People leave their jobs for a variety of reasons: a need for a better work-life balance, new career opportunities, higher pay, burnout, health and family reasons. And for customer teams, unfair compensation, unreasonable workload and inefficient tools cause frustration and dissatisfaction.
The average rate of turnover among all companies in the US is almost 60%. More than half the workforce are either voluntarily leaving their jobs or being terminated; a quarter of all workers quit their jobs last year. This is 12% higher than 2019, likely a result of COVID-19-related layoffs.
And as the “Great Resignation” is expected to continue, restoration companies will continue to be challenged. In the latest report from The Farnsworth Group, 45% of residential contractors reported labor shortages in October 2021. This fourth quarter is expected to close with even more pressure to find good employees. The trades that require the most expertise and licensing will continue to be hardest to fill. So where will you look?
Filling The Pipeline
Keep actively looking for new talent. Most restoration companies have trouble attracting candidates with experience. Trade schools have had decreased graduates due to less teachers and COVID restrictions. Your best bet is to look outside the usual circles for employees that can work your key hours.
“The Skilled Trades Alliance,” “Rock the Trades” and “Bring Back the Trades” are organizations that promote and advance the trades. Get involved with other local organizations with an untapped talent pool: alternative high schools, moms reentering the workforce, veterans, etc.
Retain And Train Your Talent
What can employers do to slow attrition? Create a culture of improvement. New hires need hands-on experience to absorb skills while they train. Develop workshops, show them technical expertise, and give immediate and constructive feedback. Motivate and reward the experienced staff to mentor new employees.
Quality candidates realize that training in a solid industry is as important as current compensation; they are looking for stability and opportunity for future growth. A culture-rich work environment offers an exceptional employee experience for improvement. This mindset results in higher productivity, performance, and retention.
Identify your most important teams and take targeted actions to support these workers. Create opportunities for all employees to be rewarded for profitable and effective suggestions that improve the customer experience. Ask them for best practices to improve the organization. Solicit feedback with open ended questions. Communicate the key findings to employees.
Then reward good ideas. Quickly turn insights into action that improve workflow.
Providing superior tools and processes is another way to get those good performers satisfied. When the tools improve the workflow instead of impeding it, new talent can quickly get up to speed and your “high flyers” can soar.
iRestore Restoration Management Software
Owners that can take steps to build and retain talented teams. You need more than good quality cleaning equipment, you need a plan. By maximizing your staff’s time and talents, key employees are empowered to build a successful restoration company.
iRestore is a complete customer service management solution. We can help your customer service team members be more successful in their roles. Call us or request a demonstration of how you can set up an effective CRM for your restoration company.
